Dress shopping for conservative Sikh temple wedding
April 5, 2023 11:21 AM Subscribe
What can I wear to a traditional Sikh wedding ceremony that is sufficiently conservative, dressy, and (ideally) not Indian-style?
I've been invited to the multi-cultural, multi-religious wedding of one of my oldest friends, who is the non-South Asian half of the couple and also a guy with no sense at all about women's clothing expectations. There will be a traditional Sikh temple ceremony in the morning and another traditional Hindu temple ceremony in the afternoon, both with "Indian/conservative" dress code.
From talking to my one Sikh friend -- the bride is neither practicing Sikh nor Hindu AFAIK, but I presume her parents are -- I've determined that I should wear something conservative that covers from shoulders down to ankles. The tricky part is that everyone will be sitting cross-legged on the floor for the entire ceremony, which is not an expectation that most Western wedding-guest-appropriate dresses are designed for, even if they're modest. I would prefer not to buy a set of Indian-style clothes just for this event, though I figure I can wear the same outfit to both the Sikh and Hindu ceremonies since the Hindu one doesn't appear to have special requirements beyond general modesty.
Hence, I'm turning to the MeFi hivemind - Do you have experience with female wedding guest attire at Sikh temples? Specific shopping links/suggestions very welcome!
I've been invited to the multi-cultural, multi-religious wedding of one of my oldest friends, who is the non-South Asian half of the couple and also a guy with no sense at all about women's clothing expectations. There will be a traditional Sikh temple ceremony in the morning and another traditional Hindu temple ceremony in the afternoon, both with "Indian/conservative" dress code.
From talking to my one Sikh friend -- the bride is neither practicing Sikh nor Hindu AFAIK, but I presume her parents are -- I've determined that I should wear something conservative that covers from shoulders down to ankles. The tricky part is that everyone will be sitting cross-legged on the floor for the entire ceremony, which is not an expectation that most Western wedding-guest-appropriate dresses are designed for, even if they're modest. I would prefer not to buy a set of Indian-style clothes just for this event, though I figure I can wear the same outfit to both the Sikh and Hindu ceremonies since the Hindu one doesn't appear to have special requirements beyond general modesty.
Hence, I'm turning to the MeFi hivemind - Do you have experience with female wedding guest attire at Sikh temples? Specific shopping links/suggestions very welcome!
There is a whole genre of special event or formal pantsuits for women. Its basically pants, tunic, and a loose jacket. It's hard to recommend a specific one without knowing your personal style but here's an example from Macy's in lace with many color options.
These are also sometimes called "mother of the bride" outfits.
I've only been to a few Indian weddings, primarily Hindu or multicultural Hindu/Buddhist, but this kind of outfit is definitely a similar style to a conservative style I saw at those weddings.
posted by muddgirl at 11:51 AM on April 5, 2023 [2 favorites]
These are also sometimes called "mother of the bride" outfits.
I've only been to a few Indian weddings, primarily Hindu or multicultural Hindu/Buddhist, but this kind of outfit is definitely a similar style to a conservative style I saw at those weddings.
posted by muddgirl at 11:51 AM on April 5, 2023 [2 favorites]
Maybe a little pricey unless you are excited to wear it again, but Kay Unger makes an interesting garment called a "walk through jumpsuit" which is like a pant / fancy dress combo and the ones with sleeves could be conservative.
posted by beyond_pink at 11:56 AM on April 5, 2023 [5 favorites]
posted by beyond_pink at 11:56 AM on April 5, 2023 [5 favorites]
Best answer: I wore a circle skirt and nice top to a Sikh wedding and had no trouble sitting on the floor.
The women attending that wedding were told by the bride that we would need to cover our heads in the temple, so I also wore a large scarf. The men had to cover their heads as well, but the temple provided head coverings for those who weren't Sikh. So I'd suggest bringing something to cover your head.
posted by FencingGal at 12:05 PM on April 5, 2023 [4 favorites]
The women attending that wedding were told by the bride that we would need to cover our heads in the temple, so I also wore a large scarf. The men had to cover their heads as well, but the temple provided head coverings for those who weren't Sikh. So I'd suggest bringing something to cover your head.
posted by FencingGal at 12:05 PM on April 5, 2023 [4 favorites]
COS has a lot of clothes that work for "modest" dress codes. Because I am a nerd, I have several identical dresses that I accessorize to either be work clothes or party dresses, using fancy scarves, jewelry and shoes to dress up or down.
posted by mumimor at 12:13 PM on April 5, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by mumimor at 12:13 PM on April 5, 2023 [3 favorites]
Best answer: I'm Hindu, not Sikh, but I think any flowy ankle length dress without slits or cutouts that doesn't show cleavage or too much shoulder will be fine. Sleeveless is usually ok.
You don't have to wear Indian, but it might be fun to get a dress that will blend with the aesthetic that other guests are wearing. E.g. the beaded detail on this dress makes it look almost like a lehenga.
I also like the suggestion by muddgirl of the tunic suits that resemble salwar suits.
posted by redlines at 6:18 PM on April 5, 2023
You don't have to wear Indian, but it might be fun to get a dress that will blend with the aesthetic that other guests are wearing. E.g. the beaded detail on this dress makes it look almost like a lehenga.
I also like the suggestion by muddgirl of the tunic suits that resemble salwar suits.
posted by redlines at 6:18 PM on April 5, 2023
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